Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-06
THE COMMON COUNCIL.
DECEMBER MEETING OF THIS BRANCH
OF CITY LEGISLATORS.
Various Matters Of Importance Discussed
and Acted Upon Last Night
A Quiet, Session.

The December meeting of the Com
mon Council was held last night at 7
O'Clock in the Council chamber. Pres
ent at roll-call: Messrs. Bethel, Archer.
Bodeker, Bowden, Bryan, Conner,
Cutchlns, Farrar, Griffith, Griffin, Guy,
Hudnall, Hughes, Jones, Kaufelt, Kauf-
man, Kendler, Lange, Molloy, Mont
gomery, Murphy, Owen, Parater, Plz-
zini, Splitter, and Starke.
HOLLYWOOD SEWER.
On the recommendation OF the Com
mittee on Streets it was resolved to ex-
tend the sewer one third the distance in
Hollywood cemetery.
Other sewer extensions were also or
dered.
LIGHT.
The Committee on Light--Mr. Molloy,
chairman--asked for 1000, to be added
to the accounts of construction, payroll,
and extension.
Some talk ensued over this, but it was
finally referred to the Finance Commit
tee.
BUILDING PERMITS.
The Committee on Fire Department
Mr.. Kaufman, ehairman-presented its
usual long list of resolutions granting
permission to construct frame buildings.
This matter of granting permits has
gotten to be the rule rather than the eX-
ception. There is a law which says no
frame building shall he erected without
first obtaining permission from the FIRE
Committee but in most cases the appll-
cations are not made until the buildings
are being constructed or are construct
ed. A year or two ago very few permits
were granted, but the requests have
grown SO rapidly in number that the
clerk had blank resolutions printed, In
which he inserts the location Of the pro-
perty and the name of its owner.
EXPENSES.
The Committee on Police asked for
$50 for expenses already incurred. Re
ferred to the Finance Committee.
The Committee on Health asked for
SO, $50. As on account of Deficiencies IN
the several departments to meet Incl
dental expenses.
Mr.. Guy moved to amend by making
the amount $1,000. Agreed to.
JAMESTOWN CEMETERY.
The Committee on Cemeteries stated
that the Bankstown property to be used
as a public cemetery had been purchased
and paid for and the deed recorded.
| The committee asked that II watchman
be employed at a salary not to exceed
s45 month until keeper is appointed
by the Council.
Mr.. Hayes moved to amend by making
the amount S25. Agreed to.
The resolution as amended was then
adopted.
MIR. Pizzini moved to authorize the
Cemetery Committee to rent out the
property until money is in hand to con
vert it into cemetery. Lost.
CITY DEPosIToRIEs.
The Committee on Ordinances report
ed an ordinance designating the Mer.
chants National, First National, anC
City Bank as city repositories.
The ordinance was adopted.
THE CITY TO BUY THE GAS IT USES.
The Committee on Ordinances alsC
submitted an ordinance the sense o
which is to require all departments o
the city uncludfng Council committees
and city offices and buildings of ever,
kind) to pay for the gas consumed at TIN
same rate charged private indiyiduaio
The object OF the change is, II possible
to secure greater economy IN the use
free gas by the several departments.
Mr.. MOlloy stated the design OF tn
ordinance very clearly when he told hoV
the consumption Of gas had year b.
year increased in public buildings-th'
almshouse, the engine-houses, &c. III
believed if they were made TO pay TO
the gas they would be more economical
in its use.
Mr.. Kaufman strongly favored the or
dinance. He said that the ordlnanc
was only intended as a guide to the eX
act amount of gas consumed by the CIT.
in its various departments and h
thought that the city ought to be charge'
the same amount for gas consumed a
citizens are. As it. now the consume
of gas is virtually paying a premium 10
the privilege OF consuming gas at 81. D
per LOCO feet 1t is also intended b.
this ordinance to arrive at the exact cos
OF gas at the meter, with the object OF re
ducing the price OF gas to the priyat
consumer in the near future, as it is no
right that the city should charge NOR
for gas TO the consumer than it actually
costs in addition to the 6 per cent. IN
terest on the plant of the gas-works.
In reference to the ordinance Mr.. Piz
zini said the gist of the matter was tina
the cas-consumers were endeavoring L
place the cost of lighting the streets ant
public buildings on the taxpayer or ol
property, where they believed it be
longed.
The ordinance was then adopted.
INDEX TO DEED BOOKS.
The special committee appointed T.
devise q special index for the deed an
will-books submitted report. 1t state
that experts had been invited to appea
before the committee, and had uuan
mously decided upon the Slight & Fiel
Company's index. A resolution accom-
panied the report providing for the adoI
ton OF the system proposed, which II
duces TO a minimum the time necessar
10 find a name also that the committe
be authorized to purchase additional il
textbooks (enough to run TO the end {
the present century,, which would COZ
Sl34.
} Mr.. Cutchius moved that the matte
be referred to the City Attorney. II
wished to know if the adoption Of th
committee's report would be sanctione
by legal authority.
5 Mr.. Bryan showed the advantage th
new system selected would be to lawyer
and citizens going into the Chancer
Court to look for deeds. Take the nam
Butler, for instance. According to I'll
, system in use one would have to begin {
the first OF Bs and look through th
whole list, whereas the new system woul
arrange each letter in alphabetical ord'
az in o directory.
.,,1 o ohopno IN tbo Ia